Not invisable wise, since you are actually missing so much fabric, it's not just a tear. Actually missing a whole chunk of it instead now. It looks like fabric was caught in the binding and I can see some still there, but started to pull away, then later, someone pulled most of the loose ends off, and just cut them off. Can't tell if it's a purse strap coming out of the top triangle or maybe a shoulder strap on a top?

If you want it to look perfect now, and not mended at all, I think you would have to change it and the shape of it there, and the matching piece on the other side of it, (if there is one) both.

To do that, you could unpick the stitching on that binding, past the damage, round off, re-shape the missing chunk of fabric a bit and just use the same binding to rebind it there though. And if you do that, I think it needs some reinforcing probably at the top there so it does not pull out again. Because it's such a loose weave, and if there are forces on it again there, possibly the same thing might even happen again?

If I did that by sewing machine, I think I would then even sew over the binding edge in smaller hand sewing stitches slip stitches where it might try to do that again, and use fray check afterwards too. Or maybe if it was a "stress thing" if you did the same, and also reinforcing it with a little triangle of more tightly woven black cotton under the new edge, on the wrong side where it did not show, might help prevent the new edge from eventually pulling out the same way?

I have mended things like this with some fusible web and a sheer but sturdy piece of fabric behind it. Try to reassemble the threads to the shape it was before the tear, reweaving the loose bits as best as possible. Fuse the sheer fabric (chiffon selvedge in a similar colour would be ideal) onto the back of the item, being sure to overlap onto a strong area all around. Then hand stitch around the edges of the patch and weave new threads in where you still have gaps. If you are really clever, you will repeat the process on other areas that are the same, but not yet ripped, to reinforce them. Good luck!

------http://bgballroom.wordpress.com to follow the progress on my next ballgown.

I would reposition the binding, but first remove the binding/straps and reinforce the fabric with a black, interfaced fabric so it stabilizes this area, which appears to have a lot of stress so it does not fray again.

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